This invention relates to a level indicator for vehicles and, more particularly, to an indicator which readily displays to a vehicle occupant whether the vehicle is at an unsafe inclination relative to a plurality of predetermined unsafe inclinations.
Various devices have been proposed which display to a vehicle operator the degree of inclination of the vehicle. However, the information presented by such devices is not readily discernable by the vehicle driver. Thus, although the vehicle may be at an undesirable inclination, such condition is not readily apparent to the vehicle occupant. Moreover, such devices did not consider various factors which may affect the inclination and rollover of the vehicle, including the wheelbase configuration of the vehicle, the slope of the underlying surface and the course of the vehicle relative to a straight line path up or down the sloped surface.
In response thereto I have invented an omnidirectional level indicator having a readily discernable map indicative of a zone of safe vehicle inclinations thereon. A perimeter of the map encompasses a predetermined zone of various predetermined safe vehicle inclinations. The appearance of a bubble level adjacent the map perimeter readily indicates to the vehicle driver the onset of an unsafe vehicle inclination so that corrective actions can be taken. I provide one method of constructing this map which takes into consideration various preselected factors, inclusive of the front, side and rear balance angles of the vehicle, the slopes of the surface underlying the vehicle and the angle that the vehicle is travelling up or down the sloped surface relative to a straight line path thereon.
It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide an indicator for a vehicle which displays a safe or unsafe inclination of a vehicle.
Another object of this invention is to provide an indicator, as aforesaid, wherein the safe or unsafe inclinations of the vehicle are readily apparent to a vehicle occupant.
It is a particular object of this invention to provide an indicator, as aforesaid, having a vehicle specific map thereon encompassing a zone of safe inclinations for the vehicle relative to predetermined, safe angles of the vehicle.
Another particular object of this invention is to provide an indicator, as aforesaid, wherein various factors are taken to construct the aforesaid map, including the angles of slope of the road surface, the relative path of the vehicle up or down the road surface, the predetermined balance angles of the vehicle and the wheelbase configuration of the vehicle.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method by which the aforesaid map can be constructed.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.